Forest Health and Biotic Interactions

The research unit studies the effect of biotic factors (in particular insects and fungi) on forest health and develops the scientific basis for protecting the forest against potential pests and pathogens. We conduct surveys on the emergence of forest pests and diseases, advise forestry services on forest protection issues, and assist the federal government and cantonal authorities with measures to combat pests and pathogens. The unit's infrastructure includes a modern diagnostic laboratory and a high-security plant protection laboratory, so that alien organisms can be dealt with appropriately.

Another focus of the unit is on studying the effect of biotic (alien species) and abiotic disturbances (wind damage, climate change), as well as cultivation, on invertebrate fauna and the interactions between them and their host trees.

Projects

Publications

Research Groups and Staff

Forest Health and Biotic Interactions

Eckehard G. Brockerhoff

Head of Research Unit

Martin Bader

Visiting scientist

Marco Basile

Postdoc

Robert McElderry

Postdoc

Forest Entomology

Martin Gossner

Groupleader

Astrid Bächli

Technical staff member

Mojtaba (Moe) Bakhtiari

Postdoctoral Scientist

Giovanna Ceppi

Trainee

Francesca Cerroti

PhD student guest

Bastiaan Drost

PhD student

Michael Andreas Eisenring

Scientific staff member

Nina Feddern

Visiting scientist

Maja Ilic

Visiting scientist

Julia Kappeler

Master student

Thibault Lachat

Visiting scientist

Felix Neff

Visiting scientist

Anouchka Perret-Gentil

lab technician

José Pedro Zé Ribeiro Correia

Temporary employee / Scientific staff member

Caio Graco Rodriguez Leandro Roza

Visiting scientist

Thibaut Rota

Visiting scientist

Nicolas Roth

Visiting scientist

Doris Schneider

Technical staff member

Jennifer Stucki

Temporary employee

Mithila Atul Unkule

Postdoc

Beat Wermelinger

Visiting scientist

Fengping Yang

Visiting scientist

Phytopathology

Simone Prospero

Groupleader

Carolina Cornejo

Technical staff member

Ana Diaz Zuniga

Temporary employee / Scientific staff member

Iva Franic

Scientific staff member

Leandra Fritsi

Apprentice

Renate Heinzelmann

Postdoc

Quirin Kupper

lab technician

Jana Mittelstrass

Scientific staff member

Karla Peranic

Visiting scientist

Daniel Rigling

Visiting scientist

Beat Ruffner

Scientific staff member

Saskia Scharl

Apprentice

Wajeeha Shamsi

Postdoc

Philipp Spiegel

Visiting scientist

Tetyana Tsykun

Visiting scientist

Sven Ulrich

lab technician

Robin Winiger

lab technician

Swiss Forest Protection

Valentin Queloz

Groupleader

Benno Andreas Augustinus

Scientific staff member

Ludwig Beenken

Scientific staff member

Simon Blaser

Scientific staff member

Elisabeth Britt

Technical staff member

Francesca Giulia Dennert

Scientific staff member

Vivanne Dubach

Technical staff member

Doris Hölling

Scientific staff member

Jolanda Klaver

Temporary employee

Federico Monteleone

Temporary employee

Maurice Moor

Technical staff member

Max Liam Philippi

Bachelor student

Mario Sahli

Technical staff member

Sophie Stroheker

Technical staff member